Talk:Activists claim sexual abuse and torture at the hands of Tanzanian authorities

Non existent test category

Category:EventGryllidaTest/2025-06-02)

@Gryllida sorry for the persistent pinging. BigKrow (talk) 18:36, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

fixed. please throw it out when publishing, but keep now. it is for this tracker can you add the others please , it is EVENT DATES (need to manually check - not same as date at top of article)? for other drafts in review queue. Thanks. Gryllida 18:40, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

First half

Striked out what I thought wrong; added IN CAPITALS what I could find. Bold text I couldn't verify.

Went through the first half so far. cc @Dsuke1998AEOS

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On Monday, activist and photojournalist Boniface Mwangi from Kenya alleged at a joint press conference with Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania'sKENYA's capital, that TANZANIA'S the country's security officers had tortured, ASSAULTED, and sexually assaulted them while they were being held in detention last month. FROM 19 TO 23 MAY 2025.

Mwangi told A COUPLE WORDS BBC and A COUPLE WORDS The Eastleigh Voice about his experiences, including being tied upside down, beaten on his feet and having his intimate parts exposed. He cried as he gave accounts of the abuses in graphic details: "[they] put lubricant in my rectum and started inserting objects in my backside." He further added that the authorities forced him to say asante (the Swahili-language word for "thank you") to the President Samia Suluhu Hassan while he was being assaulted, and that they threatened to leak their video footage if he spoke up about the abuses: "They interrogated me about my family, email, passwords, everything." He claimed to have suffered wounds and fractures all over his body.

Dar es Salaam police chief Jumanne Muliro expressed scepticism about Mwangi's allegations, dismissing them as "hearsay" and "opinions" from activists.

Atuhaire had made similar similar allegations late May, telling BBC that authorities beat and sexually assaulted her and violently stripped her naked, at one point even covering her mouth to keep her from screaming. Mwangi had said any attempts by the two to contact each other in the location were met with insults and kicks from the torturers. At the press conference, Atuhaire said she previously never imagined there would be a worse government than her own "very dictatorial" country, further adding that she filed a criminal complaint against the authorities involved in the abuses.

Atuhaire and Mwangi travelled to the country to appear before the first court appearance of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who had been arrested in April on online misinformation and treason charges which could result in capital punishment; he denied both charges. On May 19, police officers abducted the two activists from their hotel rooms in Dar es Salaam and took them to immigration offices while blindfolded. After interrogations and threats, they were transferred to the Central Police Station and then WHILE BLINDFOLDED to an unidentified facility, where the abuses occurred. Mwangi was later left abandoned on May 22 near the border between Tanzania and Kenya, while Atuhaire was dumped near the Ugandan border the day after.

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Hi @Dsuke1998AEOS Hi @George Ho @Wikiwide @BigKrow @Lofi Gurl @Back ache @Md Mobashir Hossain @Almondo2025, @Dsuke1998AEOS, @Ternera, @Monsieur2137 @Asked42, @Sheminghui.WU, @excelblue (if you want yourself removed or someone else added to this list, please inquire here) A revision has been requested. Here is a list of what to do. (If/when you intend to start working on it, please Subscribe to this section and to this talk page, and post reply messages here when you started and finished editing) See below:

1) Check the above marked paragraphs and implement them in the article.

Regards, -- Gryllida 20:22, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

1) The place of the press conference -- Done, I don't know how I missed that glaring error;

The date of the detentions -- Done;

The criminal complaint -- Verifiable in the France 24, 10th paragraph;

The month of Lissu's arrest -- Verifiable in the BBC article, 11th paragraph;

The charges of Lissu -- Also verifiable in the BBC article, 13th paragraph: false information online = online misinformation (I tried to avoid plagiarism);

... Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 20:43, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Thanks. Where did 'photojournalist' come from? I would quote 'publishing false information online' as it may be a legal term. I will now proceed to second half. Gryllida 21:34, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

@Gryllida: It appears in this DW article. I usually avoid the English-language DW articles because they are generally lightweight in content and mostly repeat information from other mainstream sources, but I will add it here soon. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 21:48, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Ok please keep me updated thanks Gryllida 22:05, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

 this is a todo item Gryllida 22:11, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

I added the DW article and another BBC article. Now we have 11 sources in the article (ugh!) Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 22:56, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Second half

@Dsuke1998AEOS , "such as former Minister of Justice Martha Karua and retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.", seems unrelated to October election - it is for the Lissu (sp?) hearing. Do you agree? Gryllida 21:41, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

 this is a todo item Gryllida 22:11, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

I changed the sentences to distance the criticisms of the Hassan government from the deportations, though I think those are part of the overall pattern. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 22:56, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

"such as former Minister of Justice Martha Karua and retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.[Source] Hassan said she is committed to respecting human rights[Source], but accused foreign activists of interfering in Tanzania's internal affairs and "creating chaos"[Source]." mentions 3 things, for each of them I would suggest specifying the time when it happened. 1. karua, mutunga arrests or deportations; 2. said committed to respecting human rights; 3. accused activitits in interfercing - I meant these three. Gryllida 21:43, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

 this is a todo item (add dates/times for 3 events) Gryllida 22:11, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Done for all three. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 22:56, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Last paragraph: date of court appearance = May 19 not April 19. Gryllida 21:47, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Fixed. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 21:58, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

optionally I suggest adding quote from paragraph 3 of [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2rw7zp7no ] from a local government official Gryllida 22:09, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

 this is a todo item (optional) Gryllida 22:12, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Done. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 22:56, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

and please remove all the 'verify' then i will look at publishing Thanks Gryllida 22:10, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

 this is a todo item Gryllida 22:12, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Done. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 22:56, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Source March 17, 2021

@Dsuke1998AEOS BigKrow (talk) 23:04, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Might want to look at dates etc

BigKrow (talk) 23:30, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Kenyan and Ugandan human rights activists, Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire, allege that they were subjected to severe sexual abuse and torture by Tanzanian security forces during their detention in May 2025139. The activists, who had traveled to Tanzania to observe the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, reported being abducted from their hotel in Dar es Salaam, held incommunicado for several days, and tortured by individuals believed to be members of the Tanzanian military and police139.

Both Mwangi and Atuhaire described being stripped naked, beaten, and sexually assaulted. Mwangi recounted being hung upside down, beaten on his feet, and having objects forcibly inserted into his anus, with threats that footage of the abuse would be released if he spoke out19. Atuhaire reported similar abuse, including being blindfolded, restrained, beaten, and assaulted, and said she was smeared with excrement29.

The activists held a press conference in Nairobi after their release, calling for justice and accountability. Amnesty International and other rights groups have demanded an urgent investigation into the allegations and highlighted the increasing repression of dissent in Tanzania ahead of upcoming elections37. As of now, Tanzanian authorities have not responded to the allegations17. BigKrow (talk) 23:41, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Kenyan and Ugandan human rights activists, Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire, allege that they were subjected to severe sexual abuse and torture by Tanzanian security forces during their detention in May 2025. The activists, who had traveled to Tanzania to observe the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, reported being abducted from their hotel in Dar es Salaam, held incommunicado for several days, and tortured by individuals believed to be members of the Tanzanian military and police.

Both Mwangi and Atuhaire described being stripped naked, beaten, and sexually assaulted. Mwangi recounted being hung upside down, beaten on his feet, and having objects forcibly inserted into his anus, with threats that footage of the abuse would be released if he spoke out. Atuhaire reported similar abuse, including being blindfolded, restrained, beaten, and assaulted, and said she was smeared with excrement.

The activists held a press conference in Nairobi after their release, calling for justice and accountability. Amnesty International and other rights groups have demanded an urgent investigation into the allegations and highlighted the increasing repression of dissent in Tanzania ahead of upcoming elections. As of now, Tanzanian authorities have not responded to the allegations.

@BigKrow:. Thanks for posting your alternative version of the article. There is definitely some wording that I could use here. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 23:51, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Could you please provide the source that states she was smeared with faeces? Regards, Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 03:01, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

is that from wikipedia ? licence of that is not compatible with wikinews. just a heads up Gryllida 07:41, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

While the article waits for review

A lot of work has clearly gone into this article—thanks to everyone who has contributed. While it waits for review, I recommend double-checking a few things to help ensure a successful outcome:

• Confirm that all background and contextual claims (e.g. deportations, past accusations against officials) are clearly attributed to reliable sources.
• Review the article for any implied editorial framing or juxtaposition that might unintentionally compromise neutrality.
• Ensure that any especially strong or emotionally charged claims are balanced by sourcing or additional context, particularly if made by only one side.

Addressing these points now will make the review process smoother.

Pro tip: Provide your AI of choice with our WN:NPOV policy and WN:Neutrality essay. Then provide it the full text of the article and ask it to consider itself a senior reviewer at Wikinews and to evaluate the article for neutrality and balance. Address any issues it identifies. —Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 01:05, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

👍,I reordered paragraphs so a context is provided before diving into abuse details. I think it made it more balance presented. I had requested adding additional quote from governmemt and it was added. Gryllida 19:21, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

Review of revision 4862612 [Passed]

Revision 4862612 of this article has been reviewed by Gryllida (talk · contribs) and has passed its review at 08:01, 6 June 2025 (UTC). Copyright: Passed Newsworthiness: Passed Verifiability: Passed NPOV: Passed Style: Passed Comments by reviewer:  todo suggestion I suggest adding background where the two superheros did their journalism. What country or newspaper are they part of? This aspect is poorly presented, and may be added within up to 24 hours after publishing.  todo suggestion I think the article is a bit shallow on context. The story about opposition leader and court hearing. What is happening with that? As this is where they wanted to get. CommentI took the liberty to reorder a few paragraphs so the motivation is clearly presented before the description of abuse. If you think that wrong, it is ok to put it back. Comment I considered tone sufficiently neutral and sufficiently little plagiarism. I did my best effort to verify everything within the page, as presented at the talk page. The requests above do mot appear to be fatal flaws to me. Template:Todo Edits are welcome within up to 24 hours after publishing. The reviewed revision should automatically have been edited by removing {{Review}} and adding {{Publish}} at the bottom, and the edit sighted; if this did not happen, it may be done manually by a reviewer.

Revision 4862612 of this article has been reviewed by Gryllida (talk · contribs) and has passed its review at 08:01, 6 June 2025 (UTC). Copyright: Passed Newsworthiness: Passed Verifiability: Passed NPOV: Passed Style: Passed Comments by reviewer:  todo suggestion I suggest adding background where the two superheros did their journalism. What country or newspaper are they part of? This aspect is poorly presented, and may be added within up to 24 hours after publishing.  todo suggestion I think the article is a bit shallow on context. The story about opposition leader and court hearing. What is happening with that? As this is where they wanted to get. CommentI took the liberty to reorder a few paragraphs so the motivation is clearly presented before the description of abuse. If you think that wrong, it is ok to put it back. Comment I considered tone sufficiently neutral and sufficiently little plagiarism. I did my best effort to verify everything within the page, as presented at the talk page. The requests above do mot appear to be fatal flaws to me. Template:Todo Edits are welcome within up to 24 hours after publishing. The reviewed revision should automatically have been edited by removing {{Review}} and adding {{Publish}} at the bottom, and the edit sighted; if this did not happen, it may be done manually by a reviewer.

@Gryllida: Added a bit more about Lissu and his court appearance, and I intend to expand on the journalists' background and affiliations. Here is the same text with links to the sources:

Tundu Lissu, from the opposition Chadema party, demands drastic changes on political reforms, calling the upcoming presidential election in October neither free nor fair. He had been initially arrested on April 9 for what prosecutors claimed were attempts to "block the polls"[1] and then charged with treason and posting "false information online" which could potentially result in capital punishment; he denied both charges[2], and his supporters called the allegations politicised.[3] His party was banned from participating in the election a couple of days later for refusing to sign a code of conduct offered by the Independent National Elections Commission.[4]

At his court appearance on May 19, hundreds of supporters chanted his campaign slogan "No reforms, no election" as he defiantly clenched his first. "We will be fine. - Don’t worry at all," Lissu had addressed them. Lissu's lawyers complained about the heavy presence of police officers around the court, which the magistrate recognised by saying they would have a consultation on its appropriateness. His legal case was adjourned to June 2[5]. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 13:13, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

Regarding the journalists' backgrounds, I found this source for the credentials of Atuhaire, but I couldn't find any recent article (since 2024) that specifically mentions Mwangi's career. I'm a bit reluctant to add background content only for Aruhaire due to balance issues. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 20:27, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

Dsuke1998AEOS thanks i sighted the edit. Gryllida 00:54, 7 June 2025 (UTC)

Correction issued, not sighted

I have rejected changes that were not sighted within 24 hours, which included a correction of the capital of Tanzania. I have issued a correction but not self sighted it. I ask that another reviewer please review and sight it if it is acceptable. —Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 14:52, 12 June 2025 (UTC)

I self-sighted the correction today, probably much later than it should have been.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 16:41, 15 November 2025 (UTC)

Possible retraction: NPOV violations

This article presents multiple, serious allegations with insufficient attribution and does not consistently distinguish claims from verified facts. There is also a lack of balance, with minimal representation of the Tanzanian government's perspective. Given that the article is now archived and cannot be edited, should we consider retracting it per WN:ARCHIVE and WN:Correction policy? The following statements violate WN:NPOV:

• police officers abducted the two activists from their hotel rooms in Dar es Salaam
• where the abuses occurred
• Mwangi told BBC and The Eastleigh Voice about his experiences, including being tied upside down, beaten on his feet and having his intimate parts exposed
• He cried as he gave accounts of the abuses in graphic details
• the authorities forced him to say asante (the Swahili-language word for "thank you") to the President Samia Suluhu Hassan while he was being assaulted
• they threatened to leak their video footage if he spoke up about the abuses
• He claimed to have suffered wounds and fractures all over his body
• authorities beat and sexually assaulted her and violently stripped her naked
• even covering her mouth to keep her from screaming
• attempts by the two to contact each other in the location were met with insults and kicks from the torturers
• she previously never imagined there would be a worse government than her own "very dictatorial" country
• reacted to the activists' mistreatment with concern
• arrested on April 9 for what prosecutors claimed were attempts to "block the polls" and then charged with treason and posting "false information online" which could potentially result in capital punishment
• his supporters called the allegations politicised
• hundreds of supporters chanted his campaign slogan "No reforms, no election" as he defiantly clenched his first
• government was accused of repressing dissent and mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic
• human rights groups have increasingly criticised her government for a number of unexplained arrests and political abductions ahead of the October election
• to prevent them from attending it

Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 15:14, 12 June 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright: Could you clarify how do most of these sentences violate NPOV? As its section #What is the neutral point of view? says, we shouldn't give "minority views as much or as detailed a description as more popular views". If most news articles are giving attention to the activists' claims as opposed to the Tanzanian government's claims, so should we. If you're suggesting that I should have replaced instances of "abuses" with "alleged abuses", then I would reluctantly agree, but otherwise I don't see any major NPOV problem with the sentences you have highlighted. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 22:38, 12 June 2025 (UTC)

Dsuke1998AEOS, To clarify, the concern isn’t just the use of “abuses” without "alleged," but the broader lack of clear attribution for multiple serious claims. For example, “police officers abducted the two activists from their hotel rooms in Dar es Salaam” is written in wikivoice — meaning Wikinews asserts it as fact. Neutral phrasing would be: “According to Mwangi…”

Similarly, “where the abuses occurred” presumes the abuse happened. It should read: “where the alleged abuses occurred.”

There are also vague or weasel attributions, like “his supporters called the allegations politicised.” Who said this, and where was it reported? If the BBC reported it, a proper version would be: “According to the BBC, some supporters called the allegations politicised.” Greater specificity beyond just "supporters" would be even better.

Another example: “government was accused of repressing dissent and mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic.” This is a serious claim and must be attributed, e.g., “Human Rights Watch accused the government of…”

These issues are widespread in the article. If this were a draft, they could be fixed. But since it's published and now technically archived (beyond the 24-hour grace period), it's reasonable to question whether it meets the standards to remain published. Concerns about NPOV were already raised in #While_the_article_waits_for_review prior to publication so this is an unforced error.

Regarding the “minority vs majority views” clause in WN:NPOV, that refers to fringe positions, not to omitting or minimizing a central party’s perspective. The Tanzanian government is accused in detail but is only briefly quoted, with no meaningful context or response.

Balance doesn’t require equal space. It does require a fair effort to include the viewpoint of those being accused, especially in politically sensitive stories. —Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 00:24, 13 June 2025 (UTC)

Ok, I understand that there some problems in both the second and third of paragraphs of stating the two activists' accounts of the events as fact (the fourth para not so much), as well as the lack of content on the Tanzanian government's rationale, and I don't mind if the article is "retracted" by whatever means. Dsuke1998AEOS (talk) 01:21, 13 June 2025 (UTC)

Note that I am foregoing archival on this article given the above conversation. @Bddpaux, Gryllida: do either of you have any thoughts or comments here? Should a deletion/retraction be formally proposed?Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 16:39, 15 November 2025 (UTC)

As new reviewer applied, @Wikiwide, what do you think needs to be done here? Gryllida 11:59, 21 November 2025 (UTC)